Top 7 from 7: The key global food industry news of the past week (July 17-23)

Milk or not milk? In the US, the debate continues regarding beverages made out of plants. In Japan, a cultured meat start-up raises US$2.5m, while members of the French parliament are calling for stricter food safety controls. Here are last week’s top food news stories from around the world:

But its former SVP advised observers not to brush off the category just yet. Nielsen data reveals that meal kits grew three times faster than any other food channel with total sales last year at $2.2bn, and that one-fourth of the US population would consider buying a meal kit.

Europe​

European sales of dairy have declined and sales of dairy alternatives lag behind the US, according to a survey conducted by Cargill​​, shared at the Institute of Food Technologists convention in Chicago last week. They surveyed more than 5,200 grocery shoppers in 13 countries to notice trends in yogurt, flavored milk, ice cream, and dairy alternative purchase behavior.

The suggestions came after a probe sparked by a Salmonella agona​ outbreak that sickened 38 babies in France, as well as two infants in Spain and one in Greece. French dairy giant Lactalis was forced to recall products in more than 80 countries after the source of the contagion was traced to infant formula produced at its Craon facility.

Asia​

The Chinese dairy market has been growing rapidly across categories​​ in the past two years, according to market research firm Innova market Insights. From 2016 to 2017, it grew by 44%. Broken down, cheese increased by 688%, milk and milk drinks grew by 48%, spoonable yogurt by 36% and drinkable yogurt by 25%.

Across the sea, a Japanese lab-grown meat firm, Integriculture, raised ¥300 million​​ (around US$2.6m) to make products affordable for the mass market. According to Integriculture, producing 100g of clean meat by existing cell culture methodology today will cost several million yen.